The Ultimate Cushion Guide: 7 Ways to style your cushions to achieve a designer look

Choosing the perfect throw cushions and planning the layout can be a little harder than it seems when it comes to making your sofa or bed “pop”. However, if you get it right, it is the simplest way to spruce up a dull room. House of Isabella’s in house Interior Designer Caris Letchford, has shared her tips she advises and styles for clients. Below, she will answer your burning questions of “how am I getting this wrong?” and “how do I get this right?” 

Do I go Symmetrical or Asymmetrical? 

Both! Symmetrical will achieve a more formal look, larger cushions at the end, becoming smaller in size towards the middle to not over crowd and hide the sofa. Asymmetrical can achieve a more informal look. For example, symmetry will work for a luxurious, formal sitting room which has an orderly and untouched look. For a room that may be used frequently as a casual space an asymmetrical look is better. This should also be dictated by the style, an eclectic or boho interior warrants odds and layers. Also be mindful of the size of your sofa, for example a corner sofa would look better with odd cushions.

My husband says I have too many cushions!

The amount of cushions on your couch or sofa is dependant on your preference. I am personally not a fan of overloading your sofa and bed for practical reasons, cushions should be more of a pop of colour and texture to solidify the space’s style and link other pieces in the room.  It is also good to consider the scale, for example a large sofa will require more, so the cushions aren’t lost, a single bed will look best with 1 or 2 cushions. I generally like to have no more than 5 cushions on a queen bed for the obvious reasons of the morning and evening routine.

Mixing it up; shapes and sizes 

If you’re planning to layer a few cushions, the larger are ideally used behind. A good large size cushion should be around 50cm. By adding smaller cushions in front you create a depth to your sofa or bed. Have a play around with different shapes such as rectangles and circles for your cushions placed in front.

 The most daunting of all, prints 

How to I be bold but not clash my arrangement? By deriving similar colours in you cushions, this will allow you to use patterns, florals and geometry. Try and stay with the same tone of colour you go with but add in a pop of contrasting or bold colour. It is ideal to keep at least one plain cushion throughout the mix to ensure a clean aesthetic. This can be a little tricky to achieve so if you’re lacking confidence in doing this, purchase your cushions from the same supplier or if you’re getting custom cushions made, use fabrics from the same range. 

Layers, Layers, Layers

There are so many textured fabrics on the market such as woollen, my personal favourite; velvet, leathers and vinyls. These are great to mix and match. I would advise to not over use one particular texture throughout your arrangement as it will appear too cluttered. I would be inclined to use predominately cotton with a pop of velvet and/or wool. Another way of introducing a texture you may not find in a cushion is through throw rug. They are not only stylish, emphasis luxury but are also practical to use when you just want to cosy up on the couch.

Distinguishing the colour pallet

What colours are in your artwork, rug and surrounding decorative pieces? This will guide you on what colours to draw from to add to your cushion arrangement. A common way is to stick to the same colour ways throughout to your cushions. Another option is to stay with the same colour tones however add in another pop of colour, this can be in your existing pieces or a totally random colour. Be careful with your random colour, research what colours work together, a clever way is to research the theories on the colour wheel.

https://www.canva.com/colors/color-wheel/ 

The “Chop”

Your cushions are only as good as your insets. I always recommend a duck feather to ensure a plush, soft feel. When you sit down against sofa cushions you’d rather sink into it than find your jerked upright. When placing and styling your cushions the “chop” is a great way to show just cow comfy your cushions are, this promotes luxury and comfort. The “chop” is not necessary for rectangular, round or textured cushions.